Awakenings Page #12

LOLLY:

Hi, Sidney.

There's a kind of hush. Conversations, activities cease.

Everyone is looking at Sidney. Not knowing what else to say,

he manages a hesitant —

SIDNEY:

Hi. i

He smiles and crosses toward her, but by the time he reaches

her the smile has disappeared. Something troubling has

occurred to him. He glances to Sayer and whispers —

SIDNEY:

Isitreal... or...

SAYER :

As real as real can be.

CONTINUED:

fAs they crowd in, she

wedges out, and down the hall, Leonard watching after her.

Len

ANTHONY:

-come on.

Leonard steps into the elevator, the last one in.

131. EXT. BAINBRIDGE -SAME DAY 13

They're going on a field trip. As they're escorted onto an

idling hospital bus, Leonard, outside it, tries to reason with

his mother:

MRS. LOWE

Sidney's going.

AAA 333

C -j

LEONARD:

He's a patient, Mom.

MMRRSS.. LLOOWWEE

He's not the same kind of patient.

XX/XU/Oy /VaUJjUKNKUD P P

131.CONT. .

LEONARD:

He's still a patient. You're not

a patient.

MRS. LOWE

I'm your mother.

Inside the bus, Miriam, anxious to leave, leans over the driver

to honk the horn. Leonard kisses his mother on the cheek and

turns away.

MRS. LOWE

Wait a minute.

(he turns back)

What on earth have you done to

your hair?

He's parted it, apparently, on the "wrong" side. She pulls a

comb from her purse, recombs it "correctly," straightens his

jacket lapels and steps back. '

MRS. LOWE

There.

LEONARD:

There's your bus. .

TThheeppuubblliiccbbuuss, bbeehhiinndd hheerr, ccoommiinnggddoowwnntthhee ssttrreeeett. AAss sshhee

hurries to the corner, Sayer climbs down off the hospital bus.

SAYER:

Ready?

*

LEONARD:

I've decided not to go.

He waves to his mother. Sayer stares at him.

LEONARD:

I'm staying here.

SAYER:

Why? What's wrong?

LEONARD:

Nothing. Wave.

He waves again to his mother; she's boarding the public bus.

Sayer does as he's told, waves too. Impatient, Miriam honks

the horn again.

MIRIAM:

MIRIAM:

'(_J) Let's go, already.

131.C0NT. . 131

As the public bus pulls away, Leonard pats Sayer on the

shoulder.

LEONARD:

I'll see you later, have a good

time.

He climbs the hospital steps and disappears inside, Sayer

staring after him. Miriam honks the horn again, and he climbs

aboard. The doors hiss shut and driver turns to him.

BUS DRIVER:

Where to?

Sayer suddenly realizes he has no idea "where to." He glances

over his shoulder at the expectant faces of the patients, all

dressed up with nowhere to go. It's up to him . ..

His face brightens; he's thought of a good place.

132. INT. MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY -NEW YORK -DAY 132

Moving slowly toward a herd of still and silent elephants in a

cavernous, darkened room.

As a nun counts the heads of parochial school children filing

past the huge beasts, Miss Costello counts the heads of the

post-encephalitics.

Both come up short and glance frantically around.

NUN v

(calling)

William?

MISS COSTELLO:

(calling)

Dr. Sayer?

132A. INT. ANOTHER ROOM -NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM -DAY 132A.

A lifeless polar bear in a diorama "stares" out at Sayer who's

peering in, intrigued. Miss Costello appears at his side.

MISS COSTELLO:

It's very hard to keep everyone

together, doctor.

SAYER:

Has someone wandered off?

MISS COSTELLO:

You.

(REV.11/10/89)GOLDENROD Pg.

132A.CONT.

.,->,Sheleadshimaway by thearm.

.,>, She leads him awaybythe arm.

CO ..

133. INT. SIDNEY'S DAYROOM -SAME DAY 13

A dayroom thick with inactivity. And the voice:

PAULA O.S.

"From the sleek skyscrapers

of Wall Street where a tickertape

blizzard filledthesky ...

From the doorway, from a distance, Leonard watches Paula across

the room with her father, reading to him again from the

newspaper:

PAULA:

"... totheundistinguished

bars of a hundred neighborhoods,

New York yesterday went pleasantly

mad over the World Champion

Mets...

' •.

133A. INT. PATIENTS' CAFETERIA -LATER -DAY 133

Paula moving along the serving line with a tray. Leonard, next

in line, moving along with his tray, a little too close. He

steals a glance.

PAULA:

You following me? *

Startled and embarrassed, Leonard withdraws.

PAULA:

I'm kidding. I'm sorry. I saw

youupstairs ... justnow.

Leonard nods without looking at her.

PAULA:

Visiting someone?

LEONARD:

No. •

PAULA:

You work here.

LEONARD:

(REV.11/10/89)GOLDENROD Pg.75

133A.CONT. . 133

PAULA:

(pause)

You're a patient?

He admits it with a nod, lags back again, and eventually dares *

another glance at her.

PAULA:

You don't look like a patient.

LEONARD:

(pause)

I don't?

She smiles and shakes her head 'no.1

134. INT. PATIENTS' CAFETERIA-LATER -DAY 134.

Leonard and Paula at a table. At other tables are patients who

do look like patients.

PAULA:

I don't know if he knows I

visit him or not. I don't know

that he knows who I am. My mother

doesn't think so. She doesn't;

come around any more—

LEONARD:

(pause)

But you do.

PAULA:

Sometimes I think I see something. *

I think I see a change. And for a *

second,Iseehimlikehewas ... *

She smiles at the memory of her father like he was . .. but then *

it's gone and her smile fades.

PAULA:

Does that make any sense?

Aslownodfromhim ... • *

LEONARD:

Yes. s •*

His tone is that of someone speaking of a fact, rather than *

offering an opinion. She studies him . . . and eventually: *

PAULA:

Why are you here?

(REV.11/10/89)GOLDENROD Pg

134.CONT.

He doesn't know how to begin to explain it to her.

LEONARD:

'

(ppause))

I receive medication.

, She waits for more, but it doesn't come. Only a smile.

LEONARD:

, I'm okay now.

* -'

135. OMITTED 1

136. INT. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM -ANOTHER ROOM -DAY 13

, . The post-encephalitics filing past still figures in African •

, ceremonial costumes and masks.

NUN O.S. s '"'

(calling)

William?

MISS COSTELLO O.S.

(calling)

Dr. Sayer?

136A. INT. ANOTHER ROOM -NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM -DAY 136

A working display of a tide pool. Anthony's reflection joinsSayer's in the glass.

SAYER:

I've always loved tide pools,

haven't you?

Anthony doesn't answer. He seems troubled.

SAYER:

What is it?

ANTHONY:

You chose this place?

(Sayer nods)

Why?

SAYER:

(pause) ,

I come here all the time.

ANTHONY:

Why?

(REV.11/10/89)GOLDENROD Pg.

ti^

y5?.

-( )

136A.CONT. .

Sayer glances away, sees Miss Costello coming. She looks a

little irritated. As she arrives

SAYER:

Miss Costello, I think Anthony

thinks they're bored.

He says it like, Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous?

MISS COSTELLO:

They are.

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